rd lowering the present standard of singing. Most
influential among these contributing causes, in the general opinion, is
the dramatic style of singing demanded in Wagner's later operas. Yet
several writers point out that the roles of Tristan, Brunnhilde, etc.,
are vastly more effective when well sung than when merely shouted or
declaimed. A change in the public taste is also spoken of. Audiences are
said to be indifferent to the older operas, written to suit the style of
florid singing. But even this statement does not pass unchallenged. A
prominent critic asserts that "the world is still hungry" for florid
singing. "It is altogether likely," continues this writer, "that
composers would begin to write florid works again if they were assured
of competent interpretation, for there is always a public eager for
music of this sort." This critic asserts that the decline of coloratura
singing is due to the indifference of the artists themselves to this
style of singing.

Still another commentator ascribes the decline of pure singing in recent
years to the rise of a new school of dramatic interpretation among the
younger operatic artists. "Nowadays it is not the singing that counts.
It is the interpretation; and the chances are there will be more and
more interpretation and less and less singing every year." Even this
view has its limitations. Faithful dramatic interpretation, and
attention to all the details of make-up and "business," are not in any
way antagonistic to pure singing. One of the most potent means of
emotional expression is vocal tone color. But the skilful use of
expressive tone quality is possible only to a singer possessed of a
perfect command of all the resources of the voice. Many vocal
shortcomings are forgiven in the singer of convincing interpretive
power. This is probably an important factor in influencing the younger
generation of artists to devote so much attention to interpretation.

More important than any of the reasons just given to account for the
present state of the art of singing, is the decline in the art of
training voices. The prospects of an improvement in the art of Voice
Culture, imagined by the early investigators of the vocal mechanism,
have not been realized. Voice Culture has not progressed in the past
sixty years. Exactly the contrary has taken place. Before the
introduction of mechanical methods every earnest vocal student was sure
of learning to use his voice properly, and of dev